Geraniums - native and introduced (Geranium species)

Family: Geraniaceae (Geranium family).

Natives of all Australian States (native species).

Occurrence: Widespread and common.

Identification: Geraniums are distinguished by:

• the leaves are round, but deeply divided into narrow lobes
• the leaves are on long slender leaf stalks
• the flowers are 5 petalled, pink to purple and single or in pairs
• the fruit have a tapering beak which is 1 to 1.5cm long
the flowers are "regular" i.e. the five petals are radially symmetrical.

There is considerable variation in this group, and it is often difficult to separate species. Both native and introduced geraniums grow in Central Victoria. Some of the geraniums are undescribed, i.e. they do not yet have scientific names.

Photos 1: Austral Crane's-bill Geranium gardneri. Taradale.
2: Geranium potentilloides. Forest Creek.
3,4,5. Austral Crane's-bill G. gardneri. Castlemaine. This is by far the most common native geranium.

Introduced Geraniums.
Low growing, scarcely twining, softly-hairy geranium. Flowers reddish. Dove's-foot Geranium *Geranium molle
Semi-succulent, often forming dense mats. Stems hairy with backward pointing hairs. *Geranium sp. 5.